Fire-extinguishing attachment for cotton-gin plants.



No. 7|5,2l9." Patent'edDec. 2, I902.

m. swtusou. FIRE EXTINGUISHING ATTACHMENT FUR COTTON GIN PLANTS.

(Application filed 1'01). 18, 1901.) (No Model.)

Witnesses r l I 111 Van t or Attv m: cams pzrzns co. PuoTo-umu,WASNINGTON. n. c.

UNIT D STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MAGNUS Sl/VENSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN-MENTS, TO CENTRAL TRUST COMPANY, OF NEW.YORK, TRUSTEE, A

CORPORATION OF NETV YORK.

FIRE-EXTINGUISHING ATTACHMENT FOR COTTON-GIN PLANTS.

SEEOIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 715,219, datedDecember 2, 1902. Application filed February 18, 1901. Serial No.47,796. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MAGNUS SWENsON,a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago,

'in the county of Cook and State of Illinois,

have invented a certain new and useful Improved Fire-ExtinguishingAttachment for Cotton-Gin Plants, of which the following is adescription.

My invention relates to an improved firero extinguishing attachment foruse in connection with cotton-gins; and my object is to provide andproduce a simple and effective device for the purpose and one that canbe very quickly brought into operation.

In modern ginning plants the fine fluffy fibers from the gins are blownthrough a closed trunk or fiue to a condenser, by which the lint isseparated from the blast and formed into a sheet or hat. The presence ofpieces of stone, iron, and other hard substances in the seed-cottonfrequently results in sparking, which ignites the tinder-like fiber, andthe conflagration rapidly spreads along the lint-flue, so that in a veryshort time much damage may be done. gins are provided with means wherebylive steam may be admitted into the trunk or flue and into the condenseritself for extinguishing any fires therein; but experience has shownthat such means are seldom efficient and, in fact, are often directlyobjectionable on account of the heat of the escaping steam.

Broadly stated, myinvention consists in the combination, with the trunkor fine through which the fiber is conveyed from the gins to thecondenser, of means for generating carbonic-acid gas and for liberatingthe same into said trunk or flue, wherebya non-combustionsupportingatmosphere will be developed therein, so that any fire will be readilyand efiectively extinguished.

In its preferred instance, my invention comprises a receptacle connectedwith the lint flue or trunk and containing a suitable chemical adaptedto generate carbonic-acid gas when acted on by an acid, the latter beingcarried in a glass vessel within the receptacle, adapted to be broken bythe operation of a plunger, so as to free the acid and liberate the Mostof the modern gas, permitting the latter to enter the trunk or flue.

In order that my invention may be better understood, attention isdirected to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of thisspecification and showing in section a trunk or flue connecting abattery of gins with the condenser equipped with the preferredembodiment of my invention.

In the drawing, A represents a gin or battery of gins of any suitabletype, B a flue leading from the gin or gins and through which'thelint-cotton is blown by the draft, and C a condenser or other bat-formerfor separating the blast from the cotton and forming the latter in asheet or bat. Supported from the trunk or fine 13 is a closed metallicreceptacle D, having, preferably, a light pivoted cover E, openingupwardly. Supported within the receptacle D is a vessel F, madepreferably of glass, and arranged opposite to said vessel is a plungerG, which may be forced or driven inward to break the vessel. At thebottom of the receptacle D may be placed a mass II of a suitablechemical, such as sodium bicarbonate, adapted to generate carbonic -acidgas when acted upon by an acid. This acid-as, for instance, sulfuricacid-may be contained in the vessel F.

In operation, in the event of a fire in the trunk or flue or in thecondenser the feed of cotton to the gins will be im mediately stoppedalthough, if desired, the draft therefrom may be continued to force thefire along the trunk or flue. The plunger G is now forcibly pushed ordriven inward, breaking the vessel F, liberating the acid, and resultingin the generation of carbonic-acid gas, which in flowing upward willelevate the valve E and pass into the trunk or flue. The draft passingthrough the trunk or flue will dissipate the carbonicacid gas, whichwill rob the draft of its combustion-supporting quality. Since from twoand ahalf to three per cent. of carbonic-acid gas is sufficient to stopcombustion, a relatively small amount of the gas generated in 5 thereceptacle will be effective for the purpose.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters i supplied With chemicals for the generation ofPatent, is as follows: carbonic-acid gas, and a pivoted valve or flap 1.The combination with a gin, a condenser, normally stopping communicationbetween i 5 and a flue connecting the gin and the condenthe receptacleand flue, substantially as set 5 ser, of a receptacle connected to theflue and forth.

supplied with chemicals for the generation of This specification signedand witnessed this carbonic-acid gas, and means for normally 25th day ofJanuary, 1901.

stopping communication between the receptacle and fine, substantially asset forth. 7 MAGNUS SNVENSON' I0 2. The combination with agin, acondenser, Witnesses:

and a flue connectingthe gin and the conden- B. A. JOHNSTON,

ser, of a receptacle connected to the flue and J. H. GIBSON.

